Crime

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Some San Jose residents were begging for the public's help Thursday night after they were attacked by teens with skateboards, NBC11's Charlotte Fadipe reported.

Maria, Jason, and Dan did not want to reveal their last names because the attack left them seriously injured and terrified, Fadipe reported.

They were at a stoplight on Foxworthy and Meridian avenues in San Jose in a brand-new Lexus, coming home from a church party on New Year's morning.

Police said for no apparent reason a group of about 12 teenagers began hitting the vehicle with their skateboards.
"My heart was racing. It was like something out of a scary movie where someone is after you," said Maria. "I was thinking, God please stop. Why us? Why us? Who are they? I was terrified."

"(I felt) just fear, absolute fear. I've never been through anything this traumatic in my life," Jason said. " The driver's side has the biggest damage of the door below the handle. That blow was aimed towards her head. That's the force they were aiming at her head."

Jason and Maria had gotten married recently. Dan was a passenger in the car.

Blood was still visible in the vehicle as NBC11 interviewed the victims Thursday.

The teenagers, both girls and boys, were dressed in black.

Maria spent much of Thursday handing out fliers with information on a $10,000 award for anyone with information on the attackers and what happened.

Dan was beaten the worst, Fadipe reported.

Doctors said his injuries would take a year to heal.

"I took one to the forehead, one to the back of the head -- a couple to the arm (and) to my back," said Dan.

"They were going for his head with these weapons," said Jason.

"I want to cry," Maria said. "Because it's not fair that he is in pain because some kids were punks. So I want to cry."

"They almost killed a man," Jason said. "They could have killed my wife, and they had complete utter disrespect for any human life or anything. It was relentless disrespect, relentless violence."

The couple said police officers have told them their case is not a top priority because the department is understaffed.

But late Thursday, San Jose police told Fadipe they were investigating the matter and want witnesses to come forward.

The couple said they hope the $10,000 reward would speed up the process.

The car will cost about $20,000 to repair, Fadipe reported.

For more information on the $10,000 reward, go to NBC11's Skateboard Attack Info Page.